Saturday, 6 May 2017

There’s more to Torchwood than the small team operating out of Cardiff; The Dollhouse takes us to 1970s Los Angeles, where an all-female team of operatives keeps an eye on extraterrestrial activity in one of Britain’s former colonies.

It’s a story featuring a lot of débuts – this is author Juno Dawson’s first time writing for anything Doctor Who-related, and the three main cast members are new to Big Finish, too. Thankfully, The Dollhouse assuages any fears in its first few minutes, setting up its premise and characters in a fantastically camp Charlie’s Angels-esque title sequence that promises us we’re in for a good ride.

We have Laila Pyne as scientist Marlow, Kelly-Anne Lyons as former burglar Charley, and Ajjaz Awad as thrill-seeking Gabi. Throughout the story, this trio are a delight; most viewers will be left wanting to spend more time with Torchwood LA, and there's certainly scope for development.

As the team investigate the disappearance of several young actresses, they're sent into a series of tense and exciting situations that show off their dynamic well. Dawson also, as is perhaps inevitable when dealing with an all-female team, makes good narrative use of the sexism of the time.